Commercial laundry machine and base assembly and cart positioner therefor

ABSTRACT

A commercial laundry machine includes an inner perforated cylinder and an outer casing both mounted on a pair of end frames for rotation about their common central axis, and includes a base assembly upon which the washer is supported. Movably mounted drain chutes on the base assembly serve to transfer discharged washing fluids from the casing, and are moved out of the way to clear the region beneath the machine for laundry carts. A cart positioning system moves carts from a convenient location at the front of the machine and an unloading position directly beneath the casing, and returns the full carts to the front of the machine.

United States Patent [191 Toth [ 1 Feb. 27, 1973 [54] COMMERCIAL LAUNDRYMACHINE AND BASE ASSEMBLY AND CART POSITIONER THEREFOR [75] Inventor:Alex Toth, Lincolnwood, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Ellis Corporation, Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: July 28, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 166,719

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 22,508, March 25,1970, Pat.

[52] US. Cl ..68/208, 68/210 [51] Int. Cl ..D06f 39/08, D06f 39/12 [58]Field of Search ..68/2l0, 208

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,775,878 9/1930 White..68/210 1,850,960 3/1932 MacDonell ..68/210 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 1,263,729 5/1961 France ..68/2l0 Primary ExaminerWilliam I.Price Attorney-Richard D. Mason et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A commercial laundry machine includes an inner perforatedcylinder and an outer casing both mounted on a pair of end frames forrotation about their common central axis, and includes a base assemblyupon which the washer is supported. Movably mounted drain chutes on thebase assembly serve to transfer discharged washing fluids from thecasing, and are moved out of the way to clear the region beneath themachine for laundry carts. A cart positioning system moves carts from aconvenient location at the front of the machine and an unloadingposition directly beneath the casing, and returns the full carts to thefront of the machine.

8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] H1827 I973 SHEET 2 of 3 /V VENTUR:

.ALEX 70TH BY Ma/San,

ATTORNEYS COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY MACHINE AND BASE ASSEMBLY AND CARTPOSITIONER THEREFOR This is a division of U.S. application Ser. No.22,508, filed Mar. 25, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,406, dated Oct. 19,1971. Reference may be had to that patent for a description of featuresof the structure disclosed herein not material to the invention of thepresent application.

The present invention relates to improvements in commercial laundryapparatus, and in particular to an improved unloading structure and basestructure therefor.

Commercial laundry machines of the type including a perforated innercylinder for holding a washing load immersed in washing liquidscontained within a surrounding outer casing are well known. Suchmachines include a drive system for rotating the inner cylinder duringwashing operations while the outer casing is stationary. To load themachine, doors in the cylinder are aligned with doors near the top ofthe casing. In order to unload the machine, it has been proposed torotate both the cylinder and the casing about their common central axisin order to align the doors at the bottom of the machine. Machines ofthis type developed heretofore have not been entirely satisfactory forseveral reasons and have not been well suited for largely automatedcontrol of washing operations.

Accordingly, objects of the present invention are to provide an improvedlaundry machine of the type including concentrically rotatable casingand cylinder structures, and to provide improvements in the componentsthereof.

Laundry machines of the type including an outer casing rotatable aboutits central axis normally discharge both washing fluids and laundryloads at different times in the same region beneath the machine- In somelaundry machine installations, wheeled carts may be used fortransporting loads of laundry from the machine after the laundryoperation is completed. It may be difficult and thus undesirable for theoperator of the machine manually to move a cart into position beneaththe machine and to pull the fully laden cart out from under the machine,particularly if the region in front of the machine is obstructed by aplatform or the like.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide animprovedcart positioning assembly; and to provide an attachment for a laundrymachine formoving carts into and out of unloading position beneath themachine.

In brief, a commercial laundry machine constructed in accordance withthe principles of the present inventionmay comprise a perforated innercylinder including a pair of end walls and a circular cylindrical wall,and a'surrounding outer casing enclosing the cylinder and also includinga pair of end walls and a circular cylindrical side wall. A pair of endframes are disposed on either side of the casing and cylinder andsupport both the casing and cylinder for rotation about their coincidentcentral axis.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the laundrymachine includes a detachable base assembly for supporting the washercasing in a raised position above a floor surface. The casing includes apair of dump valve assemblies which are opened in order to dischargewashing fluids from the underside of the casing. A floor gutter or otherfluid receiving means is preferably located beneath and to the rear ofthe washer and a chute is used for transferring discharged fluids frombeneath the machine to the fluid receiving means. The chute is'mountedfor movement between an inactive position wherein it does not obstructthe region beneath the machine and an operating position wherein theinlets of the chutes are aligned with the dump valve assemblies and theoutlets of the chutes are aligned with the floor gutter.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of acart positioning assembly including a cart engaging means mounted formovement on the base assembly. When an empty cart is positioned at aconvenient location in front of the machine, the cart engaging means isengaged with the cart and a drive means serves to move the cartrearwardly until it is properly located beneath the machine. After thecart is filled with a laundry load, the cart engaging means is returnedby the drive means to its initial position and released from the cart.

The invention together with the above and other objects and advantagesmay be better understood with reference to the embodiment illustrated inthe drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a laundry apparatus in the form ofa commercial washer constructed in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic and simplified vertical sectional viewof the washer of FIG. 1 illustrating the position of certain componentsduring a washing operation;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, with the platform broken away,illustrating the unloading position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the loading position;

FIG. 5 is a top elevational and sectional view illustrating the cartpositioning assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partly sectional side view taken along the line6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 5.

Having reference initially to FIG. 1 of the drawings there isillustrated a commercial laundry apparatus constructed in accordancewith the principles of the present invention and designated as a wholeby the reference numeral 40. In the illustrated arrangement theapparatus 40 comprises a commercial washer, but it should be understoodthat principles of the invention are applicable as well to apparatussuch as washer-extractors, driers, and the like. In general, the washer40 includes an inner washing cylinder 42 enclosed within a substantiallyfluid-tight cylindrical casing 44. The cylinder 42 and the casing 44 aremounted for rotation on right and left end frames 46 and 48. In order toprovide access to the interior of the washer 40 the casing 44 includes apair of axially spaced doors 50 and the cylinder 42 includes a series ofcomplementary doors 52. The cylinder 42 and the casing 44 are bothmounted for rotation about their common central axis to the end that thedoors 50 and 52 can be aligned with one another and can be located atdesired angular positions for loading and unloading of laundry.

The improved washer 40 is constructed in novel fashion to facilitateshipping and assembly, and to provide great versatility in installationand use. As illustrated in the drawings, the washer 40 is installed in araised position above a base assembly generally designated as 74including right and left end frame bases 76 and 78. In order to reducethe overall size of the unit during shipment, the end frame bases 80 and82 may be detached from the end frames 46 and 48. In the event thatvertical clearance is not sufficient for a raised installation, thewasher may be floor-mounted by mounting the end frames 46 and 48directly on the floor.

Associated with the base assembly 74 in accordance with the invention isa drain assembly generally designated by the reference numeral 80including a pair of pivotally mounted drain chutes 532 and 534. Duringwashing operations when washing fluids are discharged from a pair ofdump valve assemblies 82 at the bottom of the casing 44, the drainassembly 80 transfers discharged fluid to a floor gutter or the likelocated to the rear of the washer 40. However, when it is desired tounload the laundry load into wheeled carts 86 located beneath the washer40, the chutes 532 and 534 are moved to a retracted position behind thewasher 40.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, there is provided a novelcart positioning assembly generally designated by the reference numeral88 for transporting the carts 86 from a convenient location in front ofthe machine to the unloading position, and for returning the carts tothe front of the machine after they are filled. The cart positioningassembly is illustrated in FIGS. -8.

Referring now in more detail to the construction of the main structuralcomponents of the washer 40, the cylinder 42 serves to hold a washingload indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 2 and. designated by the letterL while permitting free communication of washing fluids held within theouter casing 44 to the interior of the cylinder 42. The cylinder 42includes a pair of end walls 90 between which extends a circularcylindrical wall section 92 having a multitude of perforations 94 (FIG.1). The cylinder 42 may be provided with one or more inner partitions(not shown) in order to segregate the interior of the cylinder intodiscrete sections. As best appears in FIGS. 2-4, the cylinder 42includes a group of generally axially oriented radiated inwardlyextending projections 96 for agitating the laundry load upon rotation ofthe cylinder during a washing cycle. Slide members 98 of conventionalconstruction are mounted on the cylinder end wall members 90 and on anyintermediate wall members in order to guide movement of the cylinderdoors 52 between their closed position (FIG. 2) and their open position(FIGS. 3 and 4).

The outer casing 44 of the washer 40 encloses the cylinder 42 withsufficient clearance for independent rotation of the cylinder 42 andserves as a container for washing liquids during the washing cycle. Thecasing 44 includes a pair of end walls 100 mounted outwardly of the endwalls 90 of the cylinder 42 and mounted inwardly of the right and leftend frames 46 and 48. A circular cylindrical casing wall 102 extendsbetween the end walls 100. Supports 104 are mounted on the cylinder wall102 for slidably supporting the casing doors 50 for movement betweentheir closed position (FIGS. 1 and 2) and their open position (FIGS. 3and 4). The wall 102 of casing 44 includes a deck structure 106 locatedat the top of the casing 44 in the washing position of the casing. Anoperator may use the deck 106 to gain access to laundry loadingequipment or the like located above the washer 40.

In order to provide a trim appearance while permitting ready access tovarious components of the washer 40, the end frames 46 and 48 serve notonly as supports, but also comprise hollow housings or enclosures forvarious portions of the structure of the washer 40. The right end frame46 includes an inner wall 108, a spaced outer wall 110 and a peripheralwall 112. Similarly the left end frame 48 includes inner and outer walls114 and 116 and a peripheral wall 118. Access may be provided to variousregions of the interiors of end frames 46 and 48 for installation,adjustment and servicing of the washer 40. The end frames 46 and 48 alsoinclude base plates 120 for supporting the end frames 46 and 48, thecasing 44 and the cylinder 42 on the base assembly 74 or other support.Tie rods 122, 124, 126 and 128 extend between the end frames 46 and 48radially outward of the casing 44 in order to provide rigidity.

In order to support an operator at a convenient position in front of thewasher 40, a platform 130 is provided. The platform 130 includes a guardrail 132 and a ladder 134 and is supported in part by a pair of sidesupports 136. Although in the illustrated construction the platform 130is mounted in a fixed position, it may if desired be slidably supportedfor reciprocal movement toward the washer. Thus, as illustrated in FIGS.1 and 2, the platform 130, rail 132 and ladder 134 are shaped to fit inthe space beneath the casing 44 and between the end frames 46 and 48.

One advantage of the washer 40 of the present invention is theversatility in the manner in which the washer can be installed and used.The base plates 120 of end frames 46 and 48 in the illustratedarrangement rest upon the base assembly generally designated as 74 andmore specifically upon cooperating top plates 138 of the right and leftend frame bases 76 and 78. However, the washer 40 comprises a completeand operative unit in the absence of the illustrated base assembly 74.For example, in some installations the end frames 46 and 48 may bemounted directly on or above a floor surface, and the unloading of thewasher 40 as well as the removal of washing fluids may take placethrough floor openings or the like.

Referring now more specifically to the construction of the base assembly74, the end frame base members 76 and 78 preferably comprise hollowmembers similar in cross sectional shape to the right and left endframes 46 and 48. A channel brace 140 extends between the members 76 and78 to provide rigidity. Frames 76 and 78 include base plates 142supported on the floor surface by means of foot plates 144.

In many installations of the washer 40, such as the illustratedarrangement wherein the platform 130 is located at the front of thewasher, it is undesirable for the operator of the washer manually tomove the wheeled carts 86 into position directly under the machine forunloading of a laundry load and for the operator manually to pull theheavily laden carts out from under the machine after the machine hasbeen unloaded. In accordance with an important aspect of the presentinvention the cart positioning assembly generally designated as 88 isprovided for moving the wheeled carts 86 between a convenient and easilyaccessible location at the front of the washer 40 (FIG. 6) to thelaundry unloading location wherein the carts are positioned directlybeneath the center of the casing 44 of the washer 40 (FIG. 5). Theassembly 88 not only frees the operator of the task of moving the cartsfor the unloading operation, but also assures that the carts arepositioned properly and uniformly to receive the discharged laundryload.

Referring now more specifically to FIGS. 5-8, the construction of thecart positioning assembly 88 is illustrated. In general the assembly 88includes a slide as sembly generally designated as 578 adaptedreleasably to be latched to the carts 86 and movable between positionsby a chain drive system generally designated as 580. A release mechanismgenerally designated as 582 controls the attachment of the slideassembly 578 to the wheeled carts 86.

Power for operation of the cart positioning assembly 88 is provided by areversible gear motor 584 mounted on the outer rear region of the leftend frame base 78 and including an output shaft 586 connected by meansof a coupling 588 to an elongated drive shaft 590. The drive shaft 590is journalled for rotation in bearing assemblies 592 and 594 supportedby the right and left end frame bases 76 and 78. The central portion ofthe drive shaft 590 is rotationally supported by means of a supportbracket 596 attached to the channel brace 140 located at the rear of thewasher 40.

Mounted near the opposite ends of the drive shaft 590 and adjacent theinner walls of the end frame bases 76 and 78 are a pair of sprockets 598for driving a pair of drive chains 600. The chains 600 are also meshedwith idler sprockets 602 carried by pivotally mounted brackets 604 (FIG.6) disposed near the front of the washer 40. Each chain 600 is trainedover a chain support bar 606 serving to constrain the upper leg of thepath of movement of the chain to a horizontal straight line. Chaintension is maintained by adjustment of the brackets 604 by means ofadjustment screws 608 (FIG. 6).

Slide assembly 578 includes a channel member 610 extending substantiallyacross the space between the right and left end frame bases 76 and 78.The outermost portions of the channel member 610 are supported by plates612 (FIG. 7) and the plates are each fastened to a link of thecorresponding chain 600 to the end that rotation of the drive shaft 590produces reciprocal movement of the channel member 610. Supported forrotational movement on a series of brackets 614 mounted on the top ofthe channel member 610 is a latch bar 616. In order releasably tointerconnect the slide assembly 578 with latch brackets 618 of the carts86, a series of four latch hooks 620 are attached to spaced locationsalong the latch bar 616. As appears in FIG. 7, each latch hook is fixedby means of a pin 622 for rotation in response to rotation of the latchbar 616.

In addition, each latch hook 620 includes a terminal hook portion 624adapted to engage the latch bracket 618 ofa cart 86.

Also fixed to one end of the latch bar 616 (FIG. 8) is a latch releaselever 626 normally extending in an upward direction from the latch bar616 closely adjacent the inner wall of the end frame base 78. In orderto control the interconnection of the slide assembly 678 with the carts86, the release mechanism 582 is provided. With reference now to FIG. 8,the release mechanism 582 includes a cylinder 628 slidably receiving apiston assembly 630 coupled to a release pin 632. The piston assembly630 is accessible by means of a removable cover plate 634 attached tothe outer wall of the base 78 by screws 636. The piston assembly 630is,moved between its alternate positions by means of the application ofpressurized air to the interior of the cylinder 670 by way of a pair ofconduits 638 and 640 adapted selectively to be coupled to a supply ofpressurized air by a suitable control valve or the like.

When a washing cycle has been completed and when the washing liquidshave been removed from the machine as by the drain assembly 80, the cartpositioning assembly 88 is used in carrying out an unloading operation.The carts 86 are wheeled by the operator into the initial position infront of the machine as illustrated in FIG. 6. Pressurized air isadmitted to the conduit 640 to move the release pin 632 from theposition shown in broken lines in FIG. 8 to the position shown in fulllines in FIG. 8. As a result, the release pin 632 clears the latch bar616 and the latch books 620 all rotate due to the force of gravity in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 6 to bring the hookportions 624 of the hooks 620 into engagement with the latch brackets618 of the carts 86.

At this time, the reversible gear motor 584 is energized in a directionto pull the carts into unloading position. More specifically, rotationof the drive shaft 590 causes the chains 600 to move thereby to pull thechannel member 610 toward the rear of the machine. After a predeterminedperiod of energization of the gear motor 584, the carts 86 reach theunloading position in which they are centered under the casing 44. Atthis time the motor 584 is deenergizedl with the carts in unloadingposition.

After the laundry load has been fully emptied into the carts 86, thereversible motor 584 is energized in the opposite direction forreturning the carts 86 to their initial positions. More specifically,rotation of the drive shaft 590 causes movement of the chains 600 in adirection to move the channel member 610 once again toward the front ofthe machine. Pressure is applied to the conduit 638 in order to move thepiston assembly 630 and to extend the releasepin 640 to the positionshown in broken lines in FIG. 8. When the channel member 610 reaches itsforwardmost position, and as shown in full lines in FIG. 6, the releaselever 626 engages the pin 632 to tilt the release lever 626, the latchbar 616 and the hooks 620 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 6.In this position the hook portions 624 clear the handles or latchbrackets 618 of the carts 86 and the operator of the machine 40 maymanually move the carts 86 away from the machine.

With reference now to the operation of the washer 40, the elements ofthe washer 40 are initially arranged in the loading position illustratedsomewhat diagrammatically in FIG. 4 of the drawings. In this position,the cylinder 42 and the casing 44 are arranged so that the door openingsof the cylinder 42 and casing 44 are aligned with one another and aredisposed at the top of the machine. The doors 50 and 52 of the casing 44and cylinder 42 are moved to their open position, and a laundry load isdropped into the machine from any suitable laundry handling apparatussuch as the chute 644 illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 4.

After the machine 40 is fully loaded from the chute 644, the casing 44and the cylinder 42 are simultaneously rotated through a fraction of arevolution to the operating position illustrated diagrammatically inFIG. 2 of the drawings. In this position, the dump valve assemblies 82are disposed at the bottom of the machine and the deck structure 106 isdisposed at the top of the machine. The door openings for the doors 50and 52 are located in the upper front quadrant where the doors areaccessible from the platform 130. Prior to beginning the washingoperations, the doors 50 and 52 are moved to their closed positions.

The casing 44 remains stationary throughout the washing operationsduring which the cylinder 42 is rotated and reversed at washing speeds.The washing operation is carried out under the control of a suitableprogram controller 642 which may be of any desired known construction.The controller 642 is programmed in accordance with the condition of thelaundry load and the type of washing cycle desired. Typically a washingcycle will include various operations such as a sequence of flush,alkali, suds, bleach, rinse, sour, blue and starch operations duringwhich the washer casing 44 is charged with washing liquids, chemicalsand the like through a supply header 58 and mixer section 60. At thebeginning of a washing operation, the drain assembly 80 is positioned inorder to permit the discharge of washing liquids through the dump valveassemblies 82 to the rearwardly disposed floor gutter 84. Throughout thewashing operation, fluids discharged from the washer 40 are transportedby the chutes 532 and 534 to a gutter or the like at the rear of thewasher.

Upon the completion of the final operation of the washing cycle, thecylinder 42 is returned to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 whereinthe cylinder doors 52 are aligned with the casing doors 50.

After the drain assembly 80 has been returned to its inactive or standbycondition wherein the chutes 532 and 534 are located to the rear of themachine, the cart positioning assembly 88 is used to position wheeledcarts 86 beneath the machine. At this time the doors 50 and 52 of thecasing 44 and cylinder 42 may be opened and the casing and cylinder aresimultaneously rotated to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein thedoor openings are disposed directly above the wheeled carts 86. Toassure complete unloading, the interlocked casing 44 and cylinder 42 arerotated back and forth through an arc of 180 or so in order to assuredislodging of all of the laundry from the interior of the cylinder 42.

After complete unloading, the cart positioning assembly 88 is operatedto return the loaded wheeled carts 86 to the front of the machine, atwhich time the release mechanism 582 operates to release the carts 86 sothat they may be removed by the operator. In order to prepare themachine for the next operation, the casing 44 and cylinder 42 arerotated once again to the loading position shown in FIG. 4 and anothercycle commences.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with thedetails of the illustrated embodiment, it should be understood that suchdetails are not intended to limit the invention which is defined in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. Laundry apparatus for use with wheeled carts comprising incombination;

an inner cylinder including a pair of cylinder end walls and acylindrical side wall extending between said end walls;

an outer casing spaced from and enclosing said cylinder and including apair of easing end walls and a cylindrical side wall extending betweensaid end walls;

first and second end frames disposed on either side of said outer casingand supporting both said inner cylinder and said outer casing forrotation about their common central axis;

said inner cylinder and said outer casing including doors in saidcylinder and easing side walls for permitting access to the interior ofsaid inner cylinder;

drive means for rotating said inner cylinder independently of said outercasing for aligning said doors and for rotating said inner cylinder andouter casing about their common central axis to an unloading positionwherein the aligned doors are disposed in a substantially downwardlydirected position;

said end frames including base portions disposed slightly below thelowermost portion of said outer casing;

each base portion including a generally horizontal,

downwardly directed, support surface;

and a discrete, unitary base assembly detachably connected to said endframe base portions and engaging said support surfaces for supportingsaid outer casing a substantial distance above the floor surface inorder to permit the positioning of a wheeled cart beneath the machine.

2. Laundry apparatus for use with wheeled carts comprising incombination;

an inner cylinder including a pair of cylinder end walls and acylindrical side wall extending between said end walls;

an outer casing spaced from and enclosing said cylinder and including apair of casing end walls and a cylindrical side wall extending betweensaid end walls;

first and second end frames disposed on either side of said outer casingand supporting both said inner cylinder and said outer casing forrotation about their common central axis;

said inner cylinder and said outer casing including doors in saidcylinder and easing side walls for permitting access to the interior ofsaid inner cylinder;

drive means for rotating said inner cylinder independently of said outercasing for aligning said doors and for rotating said inner cylinder andouter casing about their common central axis to an unloading positionwherein the aligned doors are disposed in a substantially downwardlydirected position;

said end frames including base portions disposed slightly below thelowermost portion of said outer casing;

and a unitary base assembly detachably connected to said end frame baseportions for supporting said outer casing a substantial distance abovethe floor surface in order to permit the positioning of a wheeled cartbeneath the machine;

said base assembly including means releasably engageable with saidwheeled cart for moving said wheeled cart between a convenientlyaccessible position in front of the machine and an unloading positiondirectly beneath the machine.

3. Laundry apparatus for use with wheeled carts comprising incombination;

aninner cylinder including a pair of cylinder end walls and acylindrical side wall extending between said end walls;

an outer casing spaced from and enclosing said cylinder and including apair of easing end walls and a cylindrical side wall extending betweensaid end walls;

first and second end frames disposed on either side of said outer casingand supporting both said inner cylinder and said outer casing forrotation about their common central axis;

said inner cylinder and said outer casing including doors in saidcylinder and easing side walls for permitting access to the interior ofsaid inner cylinder;

drive means for rotating said inner cylinder independently of said outercasing for aligning said doors and for rotating said inner cylinder andouter casing about their common central axis to an unloading positionwherein the aligned doors are disposed in a substantially downwardlydirected position;

said end frames including base portions disposed ,slightly below thelowermost portion of said outer casing; and a unitary base assemblydetachably connected to said end frame base portions for supporting saidouter casing a substantial distance above the floor surface in order topermit the positioning of a wheeled cart beneath the machine;

said base assembly including a drain chute pivotally mounted formovement between an inactive position at the rear of the machine and anoperating position wherein the chute is disposed at least in partbeneath the machine.

4. The laundry apparatus of claim 2, said base assembly including adrain chute pivotally mounted for movement between an inactive positionat the rear of the machine and an operating position wherein the chuteis disposed at least in part beneath the machine.

5. A laundry machine for use with wheeled carts rollable over a floorsurface and comprising an enclosure for carrying out a laundryoperation, a base for supporting said enclosure above the floor surface,door means associated with said enclosure for discharging laundry fromsaid enclosure, cart engaging means for releasably engaging a cartplaced at a location in front of said enclosure, and drive means formoving said cart engaging means in one direction to roll the cart overthe floor surface into a position wherein said cart is located beneathsaid enclosure in a laundry receiving position.

6. The laundry machine of claim 5, said drive means being movable in theopposite direction for moving said cart engaging means to roll the cartover the floor surface and return said cart to said original location.

7. The laundry machine of claim 6, further compris ing means forreleasing said cart engaging means in response to the return of saidcart to said original position.

8. The laundry machine of claim 7, said cart engaging means including ahook engageable with the cart, means mounting said hook for pivotalmovement, and said releasing means being effective to pivot said hookout of engagement with said cart.

1. Laundry apparatus for use with wheeled carts comprising incombination; an inner cylinder including a pair of cylinder end wallsand a cylindrical side wall extending between said end walls; an outercasing spaced from and enclosing said cylinder and including a pair ofcasing end walls and a cylindrical side wall extending between said endwalls; first and second end frames disposed on either side of said outercasing and supporting both said inner cylinder and said outer casing forrotation about their common central axis; said inner cylinder and saidouter casing including doors in said cylinder and casing side walls forpermitting access to the interior of said inner cylinder; drive meansfor rotating said inner cylinder independently of said outer casing foraligning said doors and for rotating said inner cylinder and outercasing about their common central axis to an unloading position whereinthe aligned doors are disposed in a substantially downwardly directedposition; said end frames including base portions disposed slightlybelow the lowermost portion of said outer casing; each base portionincluding a generally horizontal, downwardly directed, support surface;and a discrete, unitary base assembly detachably connected to said endframe base portions and engaging said support surfaces for supportingsaid outer casing a substantial distance above the floor surface inorder to permit the positioning of a wheeled cart beneath the machine.2. Laundry apparatus for use with wheeled carts comprising incombination; an inner cylinder including a pair of cylinder end wallsand a cylindrical side wall extending between said end walls; an outercasing spaced from and enclosing said cylinder and including a pair ofcasing end walls and a cylindrical side wall extending between said endwalls; first and second end frames disposed on either side of said outercasing and supporting both said inner cylinder and said outer casing forrotation about their common central axis; said inner cylinder and saidouter casing including doors in said cylinder and casing side walls forpermitting access to the interior of said inner cylinder; drive meansfor rotating said inner cylinder independently of said outer casing foraligning said doors and for rotating said inner cylinder and outercasing about their common central axis to an unloading position whereinthe aligned doors are disposed in a substantially downwardly directedposition; said end frames including base portions disposed slightlybelow the lowermost portion of said outer casing; and a unitary baseassembly detachably connected to said end frame base portions forsupporting said outer casing a substantial distance above the floorsurface in order to permit the positioning of a wheeled cart beneath themachine; said base assembly including means releasably engageable withsaid wheeled cart for moving said wheeled cart between a convenientlyaccessible position in front of the machine and an unloading Positiondirectly beneath the machine.
 3. Laundry apparatus for use with wheeledcarts comprising in combination; an inner cylinder including a pair ofcylinder end walls and a cylindrical side wall extending between saidend walls; an outer casing spaced from and enclosing said cylinder andincluding a pair of casing end walls and a cylindrical side wallextending between said end walls; first and second end frames disposedon either side of said outer casing and supporting both said innercylinder and said outer casing for rotation about their common centralaxis; said inner cylinder and said outer casing including doors in saidcylinder and casing side walls for permitting access to the interior ofsaid inner cylinder; drive means for rotating said inner cylinderindependently of said outer casing for aligning said doors and forrotating said inner cylinder and outer casing about their common centralaxis to an unloading position wherein the aligned doors are disposed ina substantially downwardly directed position; said end frames includingbase portions disposed slightly below the lowermost portion of saidouter casing; and a unitary base assembly detachably connected to saidend frame base portions for supporting said outer casing a substantialdistance above the floor surface in order to permit the positioning of awheeled cart beneath the machine; said base assembly including a drainchute pivotally mounted for movement between an inactive position at therear of the machine and an operating position wherein the chute isdisposed at least in part beneath the machine.
 4. The laundry apparatusof claim 2, said base assembly including a drain chute pivotally mountedfor movement between an inactive position at the rear of the machine andan operating position wherein the chute is disposed at least in partbeneath the machine.
 5. A laundry machine for use with wheeled cartsrollable over a floor surface and comprising an enclosure for carryingout a laundry operation, a base for supporting said enclosure above thefloor surface, door means associated with said enclosure for discharginglaundry from said enclosure, cart engaging means for releasably engaginga cart placed at a location in front of said enclosure, and drive meansfor moving said cart engaging means in one direction to roll the cartover the floor surface into a position wherein said cart is locatedbeneath said enclosure in a laundry receiving position.
 6. The laundrymachine of claim 5, said drive means being movable in the oppositedirection for moving said cart engaging means to roll the cart over thefloor surface and return said cart to said original location.
 7. Thelaundry machine of claim 6, further comprising means for releasing saidcart engaging means in response to the return of said cart to saidoriginal position.
 8. The laundry machine of claim 7, said cart engagingmeans including a hook engageable with the cart, means mounting saidhook for pivotal movement, and said releasing means being effective topivot said hook out of engagement with said cart.